


Peace and Quiet

by firefly124



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen, One-Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-02
Updated: 2013-01-02
Packaged: 2017-11-23 07:45:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/619723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firefly124/pseuds/firefly124
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was supposed to have been a <i>peaceful</i> planet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Peace and Quiet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fuzzyboo](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=fuzzyboo), [genebec](https://archiveofourown.org/users/genebec/gifts).



Jack turned yet another corner, only to be met with a solid wall of greenery. He cursed under his breath and turned back. Something about this maze of vegetation was throwing off the readings he could get on his wristcomp, so he was as lost as Rose must be. If he could even get a lock on their location and the TARDIS, that would be something he could use to program the teleport function. As it was, the sophisticated piece of Time Agency equipment might as well be a watch from Rose's time for all the good it was doing him. 

He hoped at least the Doctor was a step ahead of their captors, because if he couldn't find Jack and Rose before the razor-toothed lizards that were supposedly in the maze with them, there wouldn't be much left to find.

A scream pierced the air.

“Rose!” Jack ran towards the sound, tearing around turn after turn, heedless of the thorns tearing into his exposed skin as he tried to reach her.

Another dead end. And another. Her screams were growing fainter, and he couldn't tell whether that was because he was getting further away or something worse.

“Rose!” he called out again.

“She can't hear you, lad.”

Jack looked around him, hoping against hope, but he was still alone.

“It's all right, lad, we've got you.”

“Doctor?”

Everything seemed to shimmer, and Jack blinked his eyes to clear them. 

“I'm right here. Just give me another minute.”

Jack looked down at his bloodied arms through the fog that was clouding his eyes. Poison. The hedges forming the maze must be poisonous.

“Sorry, Doctor. Don't think I have another minute.”

The fog was growing thicker and darker, and Jack's legs buckled under him. There was still a chance. Had to be. The Doctor specialized in last-minute rescues. But it wasn't looking too good, and there was so much Jack had never told him. Had never told Rose. Now he never would.

He thought he heard a chuckle as the darkness swept over him.

~0~

The light was blinding when Jack first tried to open his eyes. He hadn't expected to have that problem, considering he was pretty sure he was dead, but apparently he was wrong about at least one part of that. When he finally did manage to pry the lids open and adjust to the glare, he saw Rose looking down at him.

“He's wakin' up,” she said over her shoulder, then turned back to him. “Jack? You back with us?”

“Where else would I be?” Jack tried for a grin but was pretty sure it came off as more of a grimace. He felt like he'd been raked over a pile of radioactive waste and then dumped in a bin somewhere. “What happened?”

“Psychic grenade,” the Doctor replied, his face appearing next to Rose's. “Good job getting Rose out of the way. Next time, maybe try dodging it yourself, too.”

“But that was before the maze,” Jack said. “So all of that …?”

“All in your head.” The Doctor tapped a finger on Jack's forehead.

“Thought you said it was a peaceful planet,” Jack pointed out.

“It was! Or, well, it will be. Eventually. Just landed a bit early.”

Jack should've expected as much.

“Whatever you saw, it looked like it was horrible,” Rose added. She leaned over and brushed his lips with hers. “Thanks.”

“Any time, gorgeous.” He winked at her and felt his hand being firmly squeezed.

“Yeah, thanks,” the Doctor said. 

“You know, if you both really wanted to thank me,” Jack said, raising an eyebrow. Granted, he was exhausted, but if a little post-heroic sympathy would actually work, he was sure he'd be up to the challenge.

“Buy me a drink once you're recovered, and we'll talk,” the Doctor replied with a wink of his own. “Get your chance soon enough. We're gonna have a bit of a quiet layover next. TARDIS wants a top up.”

No longer able to keep his eyes open, Jack murmured, “Quiet sounds good.”

“Unlikely,” Rose said, her softer fingers brushing over his, “but yeah, good.”

With a wry smile, Jack let sleep pull him under. There'd be more running soon enough, especially with the Doctor promising quiet.


End file.
